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Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Youngest brother Zac talks about his commitment to the band and some of the trials and tribulations of the early years

LINDA LABAN

Published: October 04, 2011 7:10 p.m.

Last modified: October 04, 2011 7:19 p.m.

Jiro Schneider

This month, Zac Hanson turns 26. That means Hanson’s youngest
member, who was 12 when the Mmmboppers first found fame in 1997, has
been famous longer than he hasn’t.

“I really didn’t decide to be in this band consciously until I was 15
and our second major label record was coming out,” Hanson tells Metro.
“It was just who I was and part of what I did and something I’d always
done.”

Remarkably, the band of brothers surpassed being one-hit teenybop
wonders a long time ago. Instead, the trio carved out a respected career
as musicians. Their fifth studio album “Shout It Out” was released last
winter.

“We are not one-hit wonders because of a stubborn perseverance to
continue to do what we love doing,” says Hanson. “When we were kids,
people would ask us stupid questions like. ‘What do you want to do when
you grow up?’ It was so frustrating. People, give me a little respect! I
am 12 but I’m here working! We would always say stuff, it sounded silly
at the time, but I would say, ‘Just think of us as old guys with really
high voices.’ We knew at that point that whether we were playing on a
street corner or playing the Hollywood Bowl, we are going to be doing
this for years and years and years until we’re old and gray.”

‘This Time Around’ again
For this fall’s Musical Ride Tour, Hanson have invited fans to vote
online to choose which album the band will play that night. Though every
album is getting nods, the one that stands out and is being played most
is their second proper major label record, “This Time Around.”

“I think that’s because that’s the record where people knew we were
serious and that we weren’t going away,” says Zac. “For me, it’s because
that’s when people became hardcore fans.”